Cooler having integrated blender and accessories

ABSTRACT

A portable cooler includes an insulated body that defines a main interior storage space, and a lid structured to at least partially cover the main interior storage space. The lid includes an integrated blender or an integrated blender drive. Components of the blender may include a source of electrical power, an electric motor, and a blender spindle mounted through a surface of the lid and coupled to the electric motor. The integrated blender may also include a blender jar structured to hold food items for blending and one or more blending blades. The lid may further include a blender recess shaped in a negative mold of a collar of the blender jar to prevent the blender jar from rotating during operation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to co-pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/530,541, titled “COOLER HAVINGINTEGRATED BLENDER AND ACCESSORIES” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, whichclaimed benefit from and is a non-provisional of U.S. ProvisionalApplication 61/898,344, filed Oct. 31, 2013, entitled ICE CHEST WITHINTEGRATED BLENDER, the contents of which are incorporated by referenceherein.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/530,543, titled “DRAG MINIMIZING COOLER” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014,and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/530,551, titled “LIDSTRUCTURE FOR COOLER” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/530,563, titled “COOLER HAVING INTEGRATEDACCESSORY STORAGE” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/530,577, titled “COOLER DRAIN” and filed on Oct.31, 2014, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/530,591, titled“COOLER WITH INTEGRATED PLATE STORAGE” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, andto U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/530,602, titled “COOLER HAVINGBATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM” and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, all of which arecommonly assigned with this application and are hereby fullyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure is directed to a cooler with an integrated blender andmore specifically relates to a cooler or ice chest with an integratedblender and other accessories to create a unified product.

BACKGROUND

Present coolers or ice chests come in a variety of shapes and sizes.Coolers, generally, are formed with an insulated shell around a hollowcavity or storage section to store items desired to be kept cool. Itemsto be kept cool are placed along with a cold source, typically ice orcold packs, within the storage section. Coolers are generally portableand include handles for lifting. Some coolers include integrated wheelsto facilitate transport.

A problem exists in that, once loaded, present coolers are very hard tomove. Coolers without wheels must be carried, and items stored withinthe storage section add to the weight of the cooler itself to become alarge, heavy, bulky apparatus. For many outings, a cooler is only onepart of the gear carried to the destination. For some destinations thecooler may simply be placed in a car or truck and driven to thedestination. Some destinations, however, like a beach, park, remotecampsite or boat, do not typically provide an easy way to transport acooler in a vehicle to the final destination, so the cooler must becarried or dragged. Coolers with wheels often suffer from poor design,construction, or material choice and are a constant source offrustration. Wheels that may properly operate on the flat, level floorof a store tend to sink in soft ground, such as sand or a forest trail.Loading a cooler with heavy items exacerbates the problem.

Further, a cooler may only be one of a number of items desired at thedestination. Many people enjoy comforts brought from home when at adestination, such as chairs, blankets, and sporting devices such asFrisbees and paddle-balls. Transporting such items may be difficult,especially when traveling with small children who cannot carry heavy,bulky, or a multitude of items.

Another limitation of present coolers is that they only store pre-madedrinks, and therefore limit the types of drinks that may be enjoyed atthe destination.

Embodiments of the invention address these and other issues in the priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Aspects of the invention are directed to a portable cooler, including aninsulated body defining a main interior storage space and a lidstructured to at least partially cover the main interior storage spaceand having an integrated blender or an integrated blender drive.

In other aspects, the integrated blender may include a source ofelectrical power, an electric motor coupled to the source of electricalpower, a blender spindle mounted through a surface of the lid andcoupled to the electric motor. The integrated blender may also include ablender jar structured to hold food items for blending and one or moreblending blades disposed at a bottom of an inside of the blender jarthat are structured to engage with the blender spindle.

In some aspects, the portable cooler may include a blender recess shapedin a negative mold of a collar of the blender jar. In some aspects theportable blender includes a lockout switch within the blender recess. Insome embodiments the lid of the portable cooler may include one or tworecesses.

The electrical power in the cooler may be a battery and the motor is aDC electric motor coupled to the battery. Some embodiments may include aswitch or safety switch.

In some aspects the electric motor is directly coupled to the blenderspindle, while in other aspects the motor and spindle are both connectedto a transmission.

Other aspects of the invention include a portable cooler that includesan insulated body including a main interior and a lid that at leastpartially covers the main interior. The lid may include a batteryreceiver for receiving a battery through an access door and storing itwithin, a DC electric motor that can be coupled to such a battery and ablender spindle connected to the electric motor, or connected through atransmission to the electric motor.

In some aspects the invention is directed toward a lid for a portablecooler that includes a motor coupled to a blender drive and a powersource for the motor.

Other aspects include a portable blender that has a storage containerstructured to contain ice and a storage container lid for at leastpartially covering the storage container. In such aspects, the storagecontainer lid includes a DC electrical source, a DC motor coupled to theelectrical source, a blender spindle coupled to the DC motor andstructured to spin when the DC motor spins, a blender jar structured tohold food items for blending, and one or more blending blades disposedat a bottom of an inside of the blender jar and structured to engagewith the blender spindle.

Yet other aspects of the invention include an electrical network for aportable cooler contained within a lid of the portable cooler. Such anelectrical network may include an energy source; a motor coupled to theenergy source; a motor switch coupled between the energy source and themotor and structured to selectively cause an electrical circuit to beformed between the motor and the energy source to spin the motor; alight source coupled to the energy source; a light switch coupledbetween the energy source and the light source and structured toselectively cause an electrical circuit to be formed between the lightsource and the energy source to illuminate the light source.

In some embodiments, the energy source of the electrical network is arechargeable battery, which also may include an indicator to generate asignal indicative of a state of charge of the rechargeable battery.

Other aspects of the electrical network include a recharging portcoupled to the energy source for charging a device separate from theportable cooler from the energy source of the portable cooler throughthe recharging port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are front and perspective views, respectively, of acooler including an integrated blender and other accessories accordingto embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and perspective views, respectively, of thecooler of FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrating the integrated blender mountedthereon.

FIGS. 3A, and 3B are front views illustrating operation of lids of thecooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view illustrating operation of lids of thecooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and perspective views illustrating additionaldetail of the lids of the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a top lid for use with the coolerillustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a top surface and bottomsurface, respectively, of the second lid of the cooler illustrated inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 6C is an end view of the second lid of the cooler illustrated inFIGS. 1A and 1B including additional features according to embodimentsof the invention.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are cross-sectional views of the second lid of thecooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrating various internalcomponents and controls.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a top view and perspective view illustrating aninterior space of the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B according toembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8C is a perspective view of the interior space illustrated in FIGS.8A and 8B further including illustration of an integrated cutting boardaccording to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8D is a perspective view of the interior space illustrated in FIGS.8A and 8B showing additional detail according to embodiments of theinvention.

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are perspective views of an accessory storage unitbuilt in or attached to the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C are perspective views illustrating a handle 600integrated into the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B according toembodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective diagrams illustrating an externalshape of a rear portion of the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1Baccording to embodiments of the invention, and FIG. 11C is a side viewdiagram illustrating the same.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are rear views of the cooler 100 illustrated in FIGS.1A and 1B according to embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate additional features of the wheels that maybe attached to the cooler of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 14 is a side view of an example blender for use with the cooler 100illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to embodiments of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar referencecharacters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1Ais a front view of a cooler 100 according to embodiments of theinvention. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the cooler 100. In general,in this embodiment, the cooler 100 includes a cooler body 110, one ormore wheels 120, a first and second lid 130, 140, an accessory housingunit 150, and a handle 160. Each of these items is described in detailbelow.

The cooler 100 is an insulated storage area in which food or beverageitems may be stored and transported while remaining cold. A cooler body110 is preferably generally rectangular in shape, although the coolerbody may also be square, polyangular, circular, or ovaloid depending onthe implementation. The cooler body 110 is preferably made of a durableplastic, such as High-Density Polyethylene, PolyPropylene, AcrylonitrileButadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic or other plastic material, and includesan outer shell and inner shell. The inner shell is formed from food-gradplastic. Insulation material such as polyurethane or polystyrene foamfills a void formed between the inner and outer shells, as described inmore detail below. In some embodiments the outer shell may be formed ofa pliable material, such as nylon fabric. In yet other exemplaryembodiments, the exterior shell can include a combination of hardmaterial, such as plastic, and a pliable material, such as nylon fabric.Although described herein as being preferably made of plastic, someembodiments may use metal or other materials for the cooler body 110.

In some embodiments the outer shell of the cooler body 110 may be blowmolded, but may also be injection molded, thermoformed, roto-molded, orformed using other commercially known methods. In some embodiments thecooler 100 is generally rectangular, with a width that is between 10 and40 inches wide, a depth between 10 and 20 inches, and a height between 5and 30. Other embodiments may include different dimensions. In oneembodiment the outer shell of the cooler body 110 is 0.008 inches thick.The outer shell of the cooler body 110 may be colored, and may includeUV inhibitors integrated within the plastic or applied to the surface tomaintain the color.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the cooler 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B having ablender 170 mounted thereon. As described in more detail below, in someembodiments the blender 170 is matingly received by a blender recess 142(FIG. 1B) formed within the second lid 140. Although preferably a baseof the jar of the blender 170 and the blender recess 142 are formed toengage or mate with one another to hold the blender 170 in a fixedrelationship, other methods of securing the blender to the cooler 100are possible. In some embodiments the recess 142 is a negativeimpression of the geometry of the bottom of the jar of the blender 170so that when the blender jar is inserted into the blender recess, theshapes interfere with one another to prevent rotation of the blenderjar. Integration of the blender 170 with the cooler 100 is describedbelow.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate operation of the first and second lids130, 140 of the cooler 100. Either or both of the lids 130, 140 mayattach to the cooler 100 through a hinge. For example, the first lid 130may be attached to the cooler 100 by a hinge 134, and the second lid 140may be attached to the cooler 100 by a hinge 144. Either or both of thehinges 134 may be formed of metal or plastic, for example. Preferablythe hinges 134, 144 are durable and piano-style hinges formed ofstainless steel. The hinges 134, 144 are preferably screwed to thecooler body 110, but may be mounted using other means, such as glues orother adhesives, either solely or in combination with other mountingmethods, such as screws, rivets, etc. The hinges may be partially orfully covered in plastic or other material to prevent interference withsharp edges of the hinge. In one embodiment plastic bumpers are mountedto the lid or cooler body to cover the ends or edges of the hinges. Thehinges 134, 144 allow rotational or pivoting movement of theirrespective lids 130, 140 to allow access to the interior portion of thecooler body. In other embodiments, the lid or lids are not permanentlyaffixed to the cooler body 110, but instead, can be slidably removed andapplied onto or into the cooler body. In this embodiment, the lidtypically has an interference or snap-in fit with the cooler body.

In other embodiments the lid or lids 130, 140 may not be physicallyattached to the cooler body 110 at all, and may instead include recesseseither in the lid or the cooler body to structurally receive the lid andmaintain it in a relatively fixed relationship to the cooler body, butcan be separated when desired. In yet other embodiments the lids areremovably attached to the cooler body, and include a catch or latchattached to either the lid or to the cooler body. Operation of the catchor latch allows the lid to separate from the cooler body or beselectively secured to the body.

The lids 130, 140 can be made of a hard material, a soft material, suchas nylon fabric, or a combination thereof and can have a number ofshapes. For example the lids may be formed of injection molded plastic,such as ABS plastic. The lid or lids 130, 140 may include a rubber orfoam gasket for further insulating the contents of the cooler 100, ormay be formed from a combination of materials. In the preferredembodiment, the first lid 130 functions to open and close access to thecontents of the cooler body 110, to provide an insulated barrier tomaintain a desired temperature within the cooler body, and to retain orenclose one or more plates 136 and one or more knives 134, as describedin more detail below. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the secondlid 140 functions to open and close access to the contents of the coolerbody 110, to provide an insulated barrier to maintain a desiredtemperature within the cooler body, and to retain or enclose the blenderelements, such as a motor, a transmission such as a gearbox or pulleys,a drive spindle, a battery and an operation switch. Other components maybe stored or disposed within the second lid 140 as well.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C each show the lids 130, 140 as fully opened. Whenfully opened, the lids 130, 140 extend from the cooler body 110 and forma horizontal surface. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the blender 170 may bestored within another blender recess 143 on the inside surface of thesecond lid 140 that is structured to accept the base of the jar of theblender 170. In other words, the blender recesses 142 and 143 may havethe same shape on opposing sides of the second lid 140, so that theblender may be stored in a working position when the second lid 140 isclosed, and stored in a storage position when the lid is opened. Inother embodiments the blender 170 may be temporarily stored on theinside of the second lid 140 in a blender recess 143 that has adifferent shape than the blender recess 142. For example, the blenderrecess 143 may merely be circular in shape, and not formed to preventthe jar of the blender 170 to rotate as would the blender recess 142. Inother embodiments, the blender recess 143 may not be a recess at all,and may instead be a protuberance or projection sized and shaped toengage the bottom of the jar of the blender to hold the blender in placewhen the second lid 140 is open.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and front perspective views, respectively,showing additional detail of how the first lid 130 may be mounted to thecooler 100 of FIG. 1A, as well as its operation, according toembodiments of the invention.

A lid 230 may be an example of the first lid 130 illustrated in FIGS.3A, 3B, and 3C. In this embodiment the lid 230 is secured to a body 210of the cooler by a piano hinge 234 held in place by an attachmentmechanism, such as one or more screws 235. An integrated handle 220 isalso attached to the body 210 of the cooler by an attachment mechanism,such as one or more screws 230. This particular structure of theintegrated handle 220 allows the body 210 to be blow molded, orotherwise produced by a mold while including an undercut, integratedhandle 220 for the cooler. FIG. 4B shows the lid 230 in its fully openedposition. Recall from above that the lid 230, when fully opened, forms ahorizontal surface 260 with respect to the body of the cooler. In someembodiments, a mating side surface 212 of the body 210 of the cooler isangled to match a mating side surface 232 of the lid 230. For example,the mating side surface 232 of the lid 230 may have an angle 284approximately 110° to a top surface 280 of the cooler, while the matingside surface 212 of the body 210 has an angle of approximately 70° tothe top surface 280. The actual angles chosen for implementation mayvary depending on implementation details, however preferred embodimentsinclude angles of the lid and cooler body that are supplementary angles,i.e., the angles of the adjoining sides add to 180°, so that the surface260 of the lid 230 creates a generally horizontal surface when the lid230 is fully opened. The same may be true of the second lid 140.

The structure of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B alsoallow the hinge 234 to be mounted within the outside surface 210 of thecooler. In other words, if the lid 230 and outside surface 210 of thecooler had straight (i.e., 90°) sides, then, to fully open the lid 230would require the hinge 234 to be mounted at the absolute outside edgeof the cooler, which could expose the hinge 234 to being damaged throughuse. Because the hinge 234 is recessed from the outside edge of thecooler in embodiments of the invention, such damage is prevented inthose embodiments. For those embodiments that have 90° sides, theexposed hinge may include extra protection, such as a plastic coveringor a hardened surface covering the exposed hinge.

A support structure including one or more lateral supports 240 and oneor more vertical supports 241 is included within the body of the cooler,as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The support structure may be formedof high density plastic or other material structured to providemechanical support. Such supports prevent the weight of the lid 230, orthe weight of items stacked on the lid 230 or forces otherwise appliedto the lid 230 from denting or crushing the sides of the cooler. Inother words, the lateral and vertical supports 240, 241 preventdeformation of the outside surface 210 of the cooler. This is especiallyimportant when the lid 230 is relatively long, which provides mechanicaladvantage to the crushing force. During production of the cooler, thelateral and vertical supports 240, 241 may additionally be surrounded byor integrated with foam insulation, which gives additional mechanicalstructure to the lateral and vertical supports 240, 241, to withstandthe force of the lid as it is meets the side of the cooler while beingopen. The lateral and vertical supports 240, 241, with or without theaddition of further foam insulation, also provide a surface to which thesecuring screws 230, 235 may be mounted.

A top surface of the first lid 130 may include recesses for holdingdrinks, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG.5, an inside surface 261 of the first lid 130, 230, may accommodate oneor more accessories, such as one or more plates 286 and one or moreknives 296. The surface 261 may be shaped to accommodate the plates 286,such as in an indentation 290. The indentation 290 is uniquely shapedhaving a partially circular end and an opposite open end. Theindentation 290 may be for example, between approximately 0.25 and 1.25inches deep, and preferably approximately 0.75 inches deep, and mayinclude an inclined surface that is angled or beveled with respect tothe top surface 261. The depth of the indentation 290 created by theinclined surface is sized and shaped to accommodate the plates 286.Although four plates 286 are illustrated in FIG. 5, the depth of theindentation 290 may be more deep or more shallow to accommodate anynumber of plates 286. A groove 291 may be placed within the indentation290 and sized to mechanically hold edges of the plates 286 in place. Inother embodiments the groove may further incorporate a friction edge toincrease the friction against the plates 286 to hold them in place. Forexample the friction edge may be made of rubber or silicone. In otherembodiments the friction edge or a portion of the groove 291 isremovable to provide access to the plates 286, and a user would removethe friction edge or top portion of the groove to remove the platesvertically, one at a time or in a group, and then re-install thefriction edge or top portion of the groove after the plates have beenreturned to the indentation 290.

Further, the plates 286 may be shaped to nest in a group, such as byincluding a series of projections on an individual plate thatmechanically sit within one or more mating recesses of another plate. Insuch a way the plates 286 may be removed or inserted as a group, butalso could be removed or inserted individually. Additionally, theindentation 290 may include a retaining member 292 to help retain theplates 286 within the indentation. For example the retaining member 292could be a molded projection within the indentation 290. To remove oneor any number of the plates 286, the user would grab the desired numberfrom the stack of plates 286 and pull them past the retaining member292, which would deform slightly to allow the plates to become free. Inother embodiments the retaining member 292 is a movable assembly havingan attached edge and a free edge. The free edge could be urged towardthe center of the indentation 290 by a spring (not illustrated). Then,moving the stack of plates 286 could be extracted by pulling the platestoward the open end of the indentation 290 and overcoming the springforce of the retaining member 292 to remove the plates. The same actionis made when returning the plates 286 to the indentation 290.

The first lid 130, 230 may additionally include a recessed knife store298. The store may include a safety latch 295 that must be slid orotherwise operated to gain access to the knife 296. A pivoting sheath297 could store the sharp edge of the knife 296 to cover the exposedblade and prevent accidental injuries. Further, the sheath 297 couldinclude a retaining mechanism, such as a two-sided pinch-lock (notillustrated) to retain the knife 296 in place. In such an embodiment theknife 296 is extracted by first sliding the safety latch 295 to gainaccess to the handle of the knife 296. Then, the user removes the knife296 by pressing the pinch lock while simultaneously pulling the knifeaway from the sheath 297. In other embodiments the retaining mechanismof the sheath 297 could merely be a projection or indentation thatmatingly snaps the knife 296 into place, to be stored, but allows theknife to be withdrawn and re-inserted with a sufficient amount of force.

Referring back to, for example, FIG. 3C, recall that the first lid 130included storage for plates and knives, while the second lid 140 housesthe blender and other accessories, as is now described in detail.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a top surface of the second lid, whileFIG. 6B is a perspective view of a bottom surface of the second lid.FIG. 6C is an end view of the second lid illustrating an integratedcharging port and a battery status indicator. A lid 300 illustrated inFIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C may be an example embodiment of the second lid 140illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C. The lid 300 of the embodimentillustrated in these figures includes a top surface 310, into which ablender receiver or recess 320 is formed. As described above, theblender recess 320 is sized to matingly receive the jar of theintegrated blender and hold it in place during operation. The blender isoperated by a rotating spindle 322. One or more switches 330 controloperation of the blender. In some embodiments, as shown below, theblender is battery powered by a battery stored within the lid 300. Thebattery may be accessed through an access door 350, illustrated in FIG.6B, which illustrates the underside of the lid 300. The access door 350is preferably gasket sealed or otherwise water-tight.

A light, such as an LED light 360 is integrated into the lid 300 andcontrolled by a switch 370. In some embodiments the switch 370 controlsa timed circuit, so that when the switch 370 is pressed, the light 360will remain illuminated for a set period of time before turning off,such as 5 to 60 seconds, and preferably 30 seconds. In other embodimentsthe switch 370 may be a momentary switch, so that the light 360 remainsilluminated so long as the switch 370 remains actuated, such as bypressing the momentary switch. As illustrated in FIG. 3C, the lid 300 isattached to the cooler body by a hinge so that the lid pivots or rotatesabout the hinge. Since the light 360 is integrated to the lid 300,rotating the lid 300 also controls the direction of where the light 360is pointing. In some embodiments, it may be necessary to rotate the lidwhile controlling the operation of the light 360 so that the lightilluminates the interior of the cooler. In some embodiments only asingle LED bulb is necessary to be included in the light 360 foradequate illumination, especially when the inner shell of the cooler islightly colored, such as white, grey, or beige, for example. In otherembodiments the light 360 may include any number of separate lightsources. It is preferable that the light 360 and switch 370 are waterresistant or waterproof.

FIG. 6B also illustrates an inner blender recess 343 formed within theunderside 340 of the lid 300. As described above, the inner blenderrecess 343 is sized and shaped to retain the jar of the blender. Notethe lack of a spindle in the blender recess 343 compared to the presenceof the spindle 322 in the blender recess 320 illustrated in FIG. 6A.Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the blender is operationalonly when the second lid 300 is place in a closed position, i.e., it iscovering at least a portion of the storage section of the cooler. Inother embodiments, however, the spindle 322 may be present within theblender recess 343 of the underside 340 of the second lid 300, and maynot be present in the blender recess 320 of the top surface 310 of thelid 300. In such an embodiment the blender is operational only when thesecond lid 300 is placed in an opened position. In yet other embodimentsa spindle may be present in both of the blender recesses 320 and 343 onboth the upper and inside surfaces of the second lid 300. Thisembodiment allows the user to operate the blender regardless of theposition of the second lid 300.

FIG. 6C is an end view of the second lid 300. An indicator 380 displaysthe charged state of the internal battery. The charging state may beindicated by a number of indicator lights illuminated, for example morelights illuminated indicate a greater charge. In other embodiments oneor more indicator lights may change colors, for example, from green tored when the battery is discharging or discharged. Many variants arepossible. A charging port 390 provides battery power for chargingrechargeable devices from the internal battery. In some embodiments thecharging port 390 may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) charging port, orother popular charging port for electrical devices. In some embodimentsthe charging port 390 may be a universal port that provides chargingaccess from the internal battery to any of a number of types of chargeports. For example, the charging port 390 may facilitate use of a numberof particularized port attachments that may individually electricallyand/or electrically and mechanically connect to the charging port 390.For instance, one particularized port attachment may be a USB portattachment that attaches to and makes electrical contact with thecharging port 390. Another particularized port attachment may be anLIGHTNING port. To charge a USB device, the user inserts the USB portattachment into the charging port 390, then connects the device to becharged to the USB port attachment. To instead charge a LIGHTNINGdevice, the user removes the USB port attachment from the charging port390 and instead inserts the LIGHTNING port attachment into the chargingport 390. Then the user connects the LIGHTNING device to the LIGHTNINGport attachment. Different port attachments, in addition to beingphysically different, may also be electrically different. For example,various port attachments may include voltage matching, such as a voltagelimiter, to reduce the voltage of the internal battery to therecommended charging voltage. Although the device to be charged may beplugged directly into the charging port 390 or to an accessory portcoupled to the charging port, electrically access may also becommunicated through a cord that has the appropriate ports on both ends.In such an example, the cooler 100 may include a single charging port390, and further include a number of different electrical cords that arecompatible with the charging port 390 that connect to particularcharging ports on various devices. Such devices may include a musicplayer, speaker, phone, camera, GPS, gaming device, rechargeableflashlight, etc. Once the device to be charge is electrically connectedto the internal battery, then charge from the internal battery istransferred from the internal battery to the device to be charged.

In some embodiments the charging port 390 is not limited to being acharging port, but could also include a power socket to provide directaccess to the battery within the cooler. In such an embodiment the powersocket could be used to provide access to the battery within the coolerto run, for example, a plug-in electric air pump for inflating beachballs or water flotation devices. The charging port 390 could be fittedwith or coupled to a cigarette-lighter style plug for widecompatibility.

Both the indicator 380 and charging port 390 are water resistant or evenwaterproof. In some embodiments the charging port 390 includes awaterproof cap, which may be secured to the charging port. Thewaterproof cap keeps the charging port 390 waterproof so long as the capis in place.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are cross-sectional views of the second lid 300illustrating various internal components and controls.

The internal components of the second lid 300 of this embodimentincludes a battery 352, a motor 334, a motor control switch 330, andvarious options to transfer power from the motor to the spindle 322,such as through a transmission. The spindle 322 is mounted to theunderside of the blender recess 320 with a bushing, such as apre-impregnated bronze bushing. In other embodiments the spindle 322 mayinclude one or more bearing surfaces to reduce the rotational drag, suchas roller bearings. In general, in operation, the user places a jar of ablender (not illustrated in FIG. 7A, 7B, or 7C) within the blenderrecess 320 where the blender then engages the spindle 322. The useroperates the control switch 330, which may be a two-part switch. Atwo-part switch reduces the chances that the blender is unintentionallyoperated. In a two-part switch, both parts of the switch are operatedsimultaneously. In the illustrated two-part switch, a first portion isrotatably raised with a first hand while the second portion issimultaneously pressed with the second hand. This action completes theelectrical circuit between the battery 352 and the motor 334 and causesthe motor to spin. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7A, the spindle322 is directly attached to a rotating portion of the motor 334. Inother words, when the rotator of the motor 334 spins, the spindle 322 isnecessarily spinning because the spindle is part of the motor. Suchspinning engages blades within the blender to cause the blender tooperate, such as crushing ice or blending multiple components of drinkstogether.

Some embodiments include a lock-out, such as a reed switch orhall-effect sensor within the blender recess 320 to prevent the motor344 from energizing unless the base of the blender is properlypositioned within the blender recess. In these embodiments the lock-outprevents operation of the motor 334, regardless of the operation of theswitch 330 if the blender jar is not seated within the blender recess.In operation, a reed switch or hall-effect sensor changes states basedon the presence of a magnet mounted to or within the jar of the blender.In the case of the reed switch, a metal reed is attracted to the magnetand physically makes electrical contact with another part of the switchto close the lock-out circuit, which allows electrical current to flow.In the case of the hall-effect sensor, the sensor is structured todetect the presence of the magnetic field caused by the magnet, andchange states, such as an output voltage, based on the presence orabsence of the magnetic field. Detection of the changed state allows thelock-out switch to determine whether the blender is properly positionedin the blender recess 320.

Other embodiments the lock-out may prevent operation of the motor 344unless the blender jar is rotated after being positioned within theblender recess 320. In yet other embodiments the lock-out may preventoperation of the motor 344 unless the blender jar is physically beingpressed into the blender recess 320 while the switch 330 issimultaneously depressed. In such an embodiment the switch 330 need notbe a two-part switch, because manipulation of the blender jar has theeffect of providing one of the two-parts of the safety switch 330.

The motor 334 is preferably a DC motor operating between 12 and 24 voltsand is preferably an 18-19.2 volt motor. In one embodiment the motor 334is an 18 volt DC motor having a no-load speed of greater than 5000 RPM,with a no-load current draw of less than 15 Amps. Of course the motorspecifications may be based on final implementation and may widely vary.

In some embodiments the motor 334 may be a brushless direct-drive motorand include a motor controller (not illustrated) coupled to the motor334 and operable to control the rotational speed and power draw of themotor. The motor controller may be a programmed circuit, located on, forexample, a programmed chip on a printed circuit board, and electricallyconnected to the motor. In other embodiments the motor controller may bean Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The motor controller may beprogrammed or implemented to include multiple timing stages. Forinstance the motor controller may operate in a first stage to cause themotor 334 to operate at a first speed and power level to initially crushice contained within the blender. Next the motor controller may operatein a second stage to increase the blade speed from the first stage to amoderate stage for an initial blending stage. Finally the motorcontroller may operate in a third stage to further increase the bladespeed for a final blending stage so that the contents of the blender areblended to a desired level. The motor controller may be pre-programmedor the stages may be directly controlled by the user. In such anuser-controlled embodiment, the user would press the switch 330 once forstage one, twice in succession for stage two, and three times insuccession for stage three, or some other combination. In anotherembodiment the user could keep the switch 330 depressed and the motorcontroller could automatically step through all three stages. In someembodiments the motor controller could use Pulse Width Modulation tolimit the current drawn from the battery 352 to the motor 334 duringoperation. For example the motor controller could use pulses having aparticular operational pulse width and power cycle for each stage ofmotor operation. In other embodiments the motor controller could drivethe motor 334 through more than 3 stages.

In an exemplary embodiment a first, startup stage operates for less than1 second. The startup stage rotates the motor from 0 to an approximatefirst RPM. In the same exemplary embodiment, an ice-crushing, secondstage spins the motor between approximately the first RPM andapproximately a second RPM that is faster than the first RPM. The secondstage may last for between 1 and 20 seconds, for example. In the sameembodiment, a blending, third stage operates between approximately thesecond RPM and a third RPM that is faster than the second RPM. The thirdstage may last for between 5 and 20 seconds, for example.

FIGS. 7B and 7C illustrate other structures and methods to transfer therotational energy of the spinning motor 334 to the rotating spindle 322,such as through various transmissions. For example FIG. 7B illustrates apulley and belt system where the motor 334 includes a first pulley thatis mechanically connected to a second pulley 337 through a belt 338. Thebelt may be a toothed belt, a solid belt, or another type of belt. Insome embodiments a chain may connect the pulleys 337, 339. The secondpulley 337 is directly coupled to the spindle 322. In operation, whenthe motor 334 spins, this causes the first pulley to spin, which in turncauses the belt 338 to cause the second pulley 337 to spin and turn thespindle 322. This, in turn, drives the blender. By adjusting therelative sizes of the pulleys 337, 339, the power ratio and speed ratioof the motor 334 to spindle 322 may likewise be adjusted. In otherwords, a smaller second pulley 337 drives the spindle 322 at a lowerspeed but has more power, while a larger second pulley 337 sacrificespower for additional rotational speed of the spindle 322.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7C includes a gearbox 336 thatlikewise may be used to adjust a power and speed ratio of the motor 334to the spindle 322. The power and speed of the gearbox 336 may beadjusted by specifying the relatively number of gears connected to theinput and output shafts. The gearbox 336 of this embodiment also changesthe rotational direction of the internal spinning shafts. In otherwords, the gearbox 336 accepts a motor shaft having a horizontalorientation and has an output shaft in the vertical orientation. Thegearing of either the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 7B or 7C may beselected to provide suitable torque and RPMs to sufficiently blenddrinks, crush ice and puree smoothies to their desired consistencies.

The motor 334 may be retained within the second lid 330 in a number ofways. For instance, the motor 334 may be mechanically attached by screwsor adhesives. The motor 334 may instead be clamped using a clamping unit(not illustrated), so that the motor unit may be removed for repair orreplacement.

The battery 352 provides power to the motor unit 334. In the preferredembodiment the battery 352 is rechargeable. In some embodiments thebattery is removed from the second lid 300 by opening the cover 350 andrecharged in a separate recharging device. Then the battery 352 isreplaced in the lid 300 when the battery is fully charged. In theseembodiments the second lid includes no charging capability. In otherembodiments, the second lid 300 may be connectable to a conventionalelectrical outlet, car battery, solar panel, or other charging source tocharge the battery while the battery is within the lid 300. In such anembodiment the lid 300 may include an internal charging port (notillustrated), which, similar to the external charging port 390illustrated above in FIG. 6C, may include a waterproof cover forprotection. Such an embodiment may not be desirable due to the extraheat generated by charging the battery and the extra complexity ofincluding a battery charging circuit within the lid 300.

In some embodiments the battery 352 is a rechargeable 10-celllithium-Ion battery pack including two-parallel sets of five lithium-Ioncells in series. Since each Lithium-Ion cell outputs approximately 3.6volts, the five cells in series outputs approximately 18 volts, whichmatches the operating voltage of the motor. Including ten cells in thebattery pack, i.e., two parallel sets of five cells, gives a totalcapacity of approximately 1500-4000 mAh. Of course other combinations ofcells in the battery 352, such as more or fewer cells, or having thecells connected in a different configurations, is possible to match adesired output voltage and storage capacity for the battery 352. Inother embodiments the battery 352 may be made of different materialsother than lithium-Ion, such as lead-acid, nickel cadmium, nickel metalhydride, or lithium ion polymer, for example.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a top view and perspective view illustrating aninterior space or storage space 400 of the cooler 100 illustrated inFIGS. 1A and 1B according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 8C is aperspective view of the interior space illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8Bfurther including illustration of an integrated cutting board accordingto embodiments of the invention. FIG. 8D is a perspective view of theinterior space illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B showing additional detailaccording to embodiments of the invention.

As described above, the storage space 400 is used to keep items cool inthe cooler 100. In some embodiments, retaining grooves or slots 410 areformed into the interior shell of the cooler 100. As illustrated in FIG.8C., these slots 410 are structured to accept a divider 440 to dividethe storage space 400 of the cooler 100 into separate spaces. Forexample one section of the storage space 400 could be used to hold cleanice for the blender, while another section of the storage space couldhold drinks surrounded by additional ice. By including two slots 410 inthe cooler 100, the storage space 400 could be divided yet again toprovide three separate spaces within the storage space. The thirdstorage space could be used to store dry items, i.e., items that areintended to be kept cool but that the user may not want to directlycontact ice.

Although illustrated in these figures as having two separate slots 410,embodiments could include as many or as few slots 410 as desired.

One or more removable dividers 440 could be inserted into the respectiveslots. In some embodiments the dividers 440 may serve additionalfunctions. For example the divider 440 may be used as a cutting boardfor slicing fruit.

The slots 410, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, include a front and a rearvertical section formed in the sides of the cooler 100, as well as agenerally horizontal section formed in the bottom surface of the cooler.Having slots on three sides provides stability to the removable divider440 to retain it in place.

The generally horizontal slots 410 are coupled to slot extensions 412,which further extend to an internal drain cup 420. The horizontal slots410, in addition to providing mechanical stability to retain theremovable dividers 440, also provide a channel to guide melting ice,i.e., water, or other fluids in the bottom of the interior space 400 tothe slot extensions 412, which further allows the fluids to gather inthe internal drain cup 420. In some embodiments the horizontal slots 410and slot extensions 412 are approximately 0.25 inches deep, and 0.25inches wide, and sloped toward the drain cup to facilitate flow towardthe drain cup 420. In some embodiments the drain cup 420 isapproximately 2-4 inches in diameter, and approximately 1-3 inches deep.Preferably the drain cup 420 is approximately 3 inches in diameter and 2inches deep. The drain cup 420 may be circular or polyangular asillustrated. Additional detail is illustrated in FIG. 8D.

A drain hole 430 extends from the drain cup 420 through the outersurface of the cooler 100. The drain hole 430 is relatively large, suchas 0.75-1.5 inches in diameter to facilitate rapid discharge of watercollected in the drain cup 420. The drain hole 430 may have a removableor retained cap or other mechanism to allow selective opening. In otherwords, the user may close the cap or otherwise close the opening to thedrain hole 430 and allow water to accumulate in the drain cup 420, ormay open the cap or otherwise open access to the drain hole to allow thewater or other fluids to drain from the drain cup. The drain hole 430may further include a screen, mesh or some other retaining structure tosimultaneously allow liquid to flow through while retaining any solids,such as small ice cubes, to be retained within the storage space 400 ofthe cooler 100.

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are perspective views of an accessory storage unit500 built in or attached to the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.In some embodiments the storage unit 500 may be attached to the frontsurface of the cooler 100, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, althoughthe storage unit 500 may be attached or coupled to the sides or back ofthe cooler 100. In another embodiment the storage unit 500 may beattached to one or integrated into one or more of the lids 130, 140.

With reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, the storage unit 500 includes abottle opener section 510 as well as a covered portion 520. The coveredportion 520 is covered by a movable lid 522, illustrated in FIG. 9B. Thebottle opener section 510 includes a bottle opener 512 as well as a capcollection area 514. The bottle opener may be formed of bent or formedmetal and sized and shaped to facilitate opening standard crown-cappedbottles. After opening, the crown cap is retained within the capcollection area 514. The cap collection area may include a magnet withinor impregnated within plastic to retain the crown caps after removal. Aslot 516 allows any liquids collected in the cap collection area 514 todrain. In other embodiments, the function of the slot 516 may beperformed by an integrated discharge tube that routes collected liquidfrom the storage unit 500. In some embodiments the discharge tube maydischarge directly into the storage space 400 of the cooler 100. Inother embodiments the discharge tube may discharge directly into thedrain cup 420 illustrated in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D. In yet otherembodiments the discharge tube may discharge liquids to the ground.

The covered portion 520 of the storage unit 500 may be used to retainany item desired to be retained with the cooler 100, such as keys,phones, sunglasses, wallets, etc. In a preferred embodiment the coveredportion stores a music player as well as a music source, such as an MP3player or a smartphone. In yet another preferred embodiment the coveredportion 520 is sized to exactly retain an integrated, removable musicplayer that is described in more detail below. The covered portion 520of the storage unit 500 may be approximately 5-15 inches wide and 5-15inches tall. Preferably the covered portion is approximately 10 incheswide and approximately 8 inches tall.

An integrated music player is sized and shaped to be removably storedwithin the covered portion 520. Preferably the music player is aself-contained, self-powered, music player that includes an audio input,an amplifier, and one or more speakers. The audio input may be a wiredor a wireless input, or the music player may include both types of audioinputs. In a preferred embodiment the music player may be an audioplayer, such as an MP3 player, that may wirelessly connect to the audiosource using the Bluetooth or DLNA audio standards. The audio source maybe a phone, MP3 player or other audio source, for example. The musicplayer is preferably self-powered and includes a rechargeable batterythat is charged using a separate charging device. In some embodimentsthe music player may be powered from the battery 352 illustrated inFIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C. The music player may be retained within thecovered portion 520 using clips, latches, and/or straps. In otherembodiments the music player is covered in pliable foam and is sized topress-fit within the covered portion 520 for easy insertion and removal.In other embodiments, the music player may not be stored within thecovered portion 520, but may instead be stored within either the firstlid 130 or second lid 140, depending on implementation.

The covered portion 520 is accessible by operation of a cover lid 522.The cover lid 522 may be hinged, as illustrated, or may be held intoplace using other methods, such as magnets, snaps, or latches.

FIG. 9C. is a rear perspective view of the storage unit 500. A rearsupport 550 is illustrated. The rear support 550 is used duringmanufacturing of the cooler 100 to provide attachment points for thestorage unit 500. The storage unit 500 may be attached through theoutside body of the cooler 100 and into the rear support by a retainingmechanism such as screws. In some embodiments the storage unit mayadditionally be held in place with adhesives or using other methods. Asillustrated in FIG. 9C, the storage unit has depth, approximately 1-3inches, to provide storage area within the covered portion 520. Asdescribed below, this depth also creates an attachment point for a geartie-down.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C are perspective views illustrating a handle 600integrated into the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B according toembodiments of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle600 includes a lower attachment area 610, an upper attachment area 620,and a top grip area 630.

The lower attachment area 610 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 10B. Thelower attachment area includes apertures 624 for receiving one or morepoles 626. The lower attachment area 610 is held to the body of thecooler 100 by screws or adhesives, or by both screws and adhesives ashas been described above with reference to other attachment methods. Thelower attachment area 610 includes a platform 612 sized and shaped toaccept a foot placed thereon. In operation, a user can step on theplatform 612 to provide leverage while pulling back on the handle 600 totip the cooler so that it is resting on the wheels and ready for travel.The platform 612 may be integrated or affixed to the lower attachmentarea. The platform 612 may additionally include treads 614 to increasefriction and to hold the foot in place during the tipping operation. Thelower attachment area further includes slots 616 and an overhang 618described with reference to the gear storage system illustrated anddescribed below.

Referring back to FIGS. 10A and 10C, the upper attachment area 620 maybe directly attached to a top lip of the cooler, as illustrated in FIG.10C. Such an attachment method provides a strong attachment system towithstand the forces caused that using the handle 600 may invoke. A topgrip area 630 includes a release button 630 to allow the handle 600 tobe extended or retracted in a telescoping manner. In other words, thepoles making up the handle 600 may slide within one another to reducearea when the handle is not needed.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective diagrams illustrating an externalshape of a rear portion of the cooler illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B,and FIG. 11C is a side view diagram illustrating the same.

As described above, the cooler 100 is preferable rectangular in shape.Conventional coolers have a problem, however, in that they tend to dragacross soft surfaces, such as sand, tall grass, or the forest floor.Even conventional coolers including wheels have this dragging actionbecause of the outer shape of the conventional cooler, which tends todig into the soft surface. Embodiments of the invention address thisproblem by including a sliding portion 170 of a rear surface of thecooler 100 to accommodate such operational conditions. Morespecifically, the sliding portion 170 is shaped, formed, or otherwiseimplemented to cause the cooler 100 to follow the contour of a softsurface over which the cooler 100 is traveling. For example, if thecooler 100 as illustrated in FIG. 11A is being pulled through sand, eventhe relatively large wheels of the cooler 100 may tend to sink in thesand. Conventional coolers plow the sand with a rigid and sharply shapedrear-bottom edge. The cooler 100 according to embodiments of theinvention, however, include a sliding portion 170 integrated into theform factor of the rear and bottom surfaces of the cooler 100. Withreference to FIGS. 11B and 11C, the illustrated embodiment includes nosharp edges that tend to plow into soft surfaces. Instead, the slidingportion 170 of the cooler 100 is shaped to cause the cooler to moreeasily slide over the soft surface. Although the sliding portion 170 isillustrated here as having a curved surface having a radius that issmaller than a radius of the wheels 120, the sliding portion 170 maytake other shapes. For instance the sliding portion 170 may be arelatively flat angle. In some embodiments the curved portion of therear of the cooler may start approximately one-third to one-half from adepth of the cooler, and continue to approximately one-third to one-halfof the height of the cooler. Such a structure is illustratedparticularly well by FIG. 11C. In other embodiments an angled portionmay start approximately one-third from a depth of the cooler andcontinue to approximately one-third of the height of the cooler. In oneembodiment (not illustrated), the sliding portion 170 is relativelyplaner and has an angle of approximately 45° relative to the bottomsurface and/or a rear surface of the cooler 100. The sliding portion 170is shaped to provide additional clearance to the bottom edge of thecooler 100 when the cooler 100 is tipped backwards. In some embodimentsthe sliding portion 170 is shaped to provide maximum clearance between arear surface of the cooler 100 when the cooler is tipped backwardsbetween approximately 30-60 degrees, and preferably when the cooler istipped backwards at approximately 45 degrees.

FIG. 12A is a rear view of the cooler 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and1B. As described above, the cooler 100 includes one or more wheels 120.The wheels may be formed of strong plastic or rubber, for example. Asillustrated in FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, and FIG. 12A, the body of the coolermay be specifically shaped to provide relief for the wheels. In otherwords, the body of the cooler 100 is cut in to accept the wheel mountsso that the wheels 120 do not extend beyond the lateral edges of thecooler. In addition, a width of the wheels is chosen to be quite widerelative to standard wheels. Selection of wider wheels allows the wheelsto better support the cooler when traveling over soft surfaces, so thatthe weight of the cooler does not drive the wheels into the softsurface. In one embodiment, the overall cooler width is approximately 25inches wide, while each of the wheels 120 has a width of approximately2.5-4 inches, and preferably approximately 3 inches. The width of thewheels 120 may scale as the width of the cooler changes so as to keepthe same approximate wheel-width to cooler-width ratio. In oneembodiment each wheel has a diameter of approximately 3-8 inches, andpreferably 6 inches.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate additional features of the wheels that maybe attached to the cooler of FIGS. 1A and 1B according to embodiments ofthe invention. In this embodiment the wheels 120 include alternatinglands 122, 123. A groove is formed by forming recesses 124, 125,respectively in the alternating lands 122, 124. When multiple recesses124, 125 are formed together, the groove is formed. As illustrated inFIG. 13B, an O-ring 126 may be disposed within the groove, and held inplace by the alternating recesses 124, 125. The O-ring may be formed ofrubber or other pliable material that is softer than the materialforming the wheels 120. The combination of the harder material for thewheels 120 with the softer material for the O-ring functions to absorbnoise caused when the cooler 100 is rolled on a hard, relatively roughsurface, such as concrete or asphalt. Additionally, the O-ring 126 maybe replaced without requiring replacement of the entire wheels 120. Insome embodiments the O-ring 126 has a diameter of between 0.01 and 0.5inches. In other embodiments the O-ring may be an internal component ofa much wider soft cover for wheels. In other words, such a wheel covermay have a width of 1-2 inches wide on the exterior surface, with aninternal O-ring to keep the wheel cover in position on the wheel 120.

Another feature of the cooler according to embodiments of the inventionis an integrated tie-down system, illustrated best with reference toFIGS. 12A, 12B, and FIG. 1B. Embodiments of the invention include anintegrated tie-down system, which incorporates pieces of the handle 160as well as the storage unit 500. The tie down system includes a cord 168illustrated in FIG. 12B. The cord 168 is preferably a dynamic, i.e.,stretchable, cord, but could be a static line as well. Examples ofmaterial for the cord 168 include elastic or nylon rubber.

The cooler 100 is structured to store the cord 168 when not in use, butis also structured to allow the cord 168 to be extended to secure gearplaced on the cooler when convenient. Examples of gear placed on thecooler may include, for example, folding chairs, sporting equipment,blankets, etc. When a user wishes to use secure such items on the cooler100, the cord 168 may be extended over the items and secured to anunderlip 152 of the storage unit 500, illustrated best in FIG. 1B. Inother words, the end loop of the cord 168 is looped over the gear to bestored and underneath the underlip 152 of the storage unit 500, whichretains that portion of the cord 168. Other embodiments may includedifferent attachment mechanisms, such as hooks, loops, and underlipslocated on other surfaces, such as on one or more of the lids orelsewhere on the cooler body, for example. Then, the user can tightenthe cord 168 by pulling excess cord 168 slack through one or both clamcleats 164 as illustrated in FIG. 12B. The clam cleats 164 frictionallyhold the cord 168 in place until released. Such release is accomplishedby pulling the cord 168 laterally away from the clam cleats 164. Inaddition or instead of clam cleats, the cord 168 may be tightened and/orretained in any of a number of ways, such as by using clips, latches,knobs, clamps, other types of mechanical interference or other methodsto retain the tie-down cord 168.

In some embodiments excess cord 168 may be threaded through slots 162,illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B, and retained by cord lip 163 formed inthe lower attachment area of the handle 160.

When not in use, the cord 168 may be wrapped around the outside of boththe lower attachment area 165 and upper attachment area 166 of thehandle 160, and may be retained by an undercut underneath the lowerattachment area 165 of the handle 160.

FIG. 14 is a side view of an example blender jar and associated partsfor use with the cooler 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.An example blender jar 170 includes a main blender jar 172, spout 173,and handle 174. The blender jar 172 may be made from food grade plasticor glass, or other suitable material. A lid 175 covers the main blenderjar 172 and functions to keep items within the blender jar as they arebeing blended. In some embodiments the lid 175 may be sized and shapedto cover the blender recess 142 illustrated in FIG. 1B. In such anembodiment the blender lid 175 may protect the blender spindle.

A collar 176 attaches to the blender jar 172 in a typical manner, suchas by engaging corresponding threads on the outside of the blender jarand inside of the collar 176. Also, the collar 176 may be used to securea set of blades 177 within the blender jar 172 in a known manner. Thecollar 176 may be shaped to insert within the blender recess 142 of FIG.1B, which engages with protuberances of the collar to prevent rotationof the blender jar 172 during blending operation. Of course, the blenderrecess 142 may instead be shaped to form a negative geometry of thecollar 176.

A receiver 178 in the bottom of the set of blades 177 is structured toreceive a blender spindle, such as the blender spindle 322 illustratedin FIG. 6A.

In operation, the blender 170 is first assembled by inserting the set ofblades 177 from an open bottom of the blender jar 172. The set of blades177 are held in place by securing the collar 176, such as by threadingthe collar onto the blender jar 172.

Then, to blend a drink, the contents to be blended are placed in theassembled blender jar 172, either before or after the blender jar 172 ismounted within the blender recess 142. To mount the blender jar 172 inthe blender recess 142, first the receiver 178 in the bottom of the setof blades is engaged with the blender spindle, such as by rotatingeither the spindle or the blender jar 172 to cause the blender spindleto be inserted within the receiver. Next the blender jar 172 ispositioned so that it drops into the blender recess 142. In someembodiments, positioning the blender jar 172 within the blender recess142 satisfies the lock-out switch, thus enabling the blender 170 foruse.

Next, the blender switch is actuated, which causes the motor to spin thespindle, which in turn causes the blades 177 to spin and blend thecontents of the blender jar 172 into a blended drink.

What has been described and illustrated herein are embodiments of theinvention along with some of their variations. The terms, descriptionsand figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only andare not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of theinvention in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonablescope unless otherwise indicated.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed for purposes if illustration, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be limitedexcept as by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable cooler, comprising: a body defining amain interior storage space, the body having an insulation compartmentdefined by an outer shell and an inner shell; a lid structured to atleast partially cover the main interior storage space; an electric motorintegrated in the lid; and an attachment mechanism configured to hold ablender jar in a stationary relationship with the electric motor.
 2. Theportable cooler of claim 1, further comprising a blender spindleintegrated in the lid.
 3. The portable cooler of claim 2 in which theblender spindle rotates at a maximum RPM that is faster thanapproximately 5000 RPM.
 4. The portable cooler of claim 1, furthercomprising a transmission coupled between the electric motor and theblender spindle.
 5. The portable cooler of claim 1, in which the blenderspindle is directly driven by the electric motor.
 6. The portable coolerof claim 1, in which the insulation compartment comprises an insulationmaterial.
 7. A portable cooler, comprising: an outer body; an innerbody; an insulation interior defined by the outer body and the innerbody; a main interior storage space defined by the inner body; a lidstructured to at least partially cover the main interior storage space,the lid having an interior compartment; an electric motor disposedsubstantially in the interior compartment; and an attachment mechanismconfigured to hold a blender jar in a stationary relationship with theelectric motor.
 8. The portable cooler of claim 7, further comprising ablender spindle extending from the lid.
 9. The portable cooler of claim8 in which the blender spindle rotates at a maximum RPM that is fasterthan approximately 5000 RPM.
 10. The portable cooler of claim 7, furthercomprising a transmission coupled between the electric motor and theblender spindle.
 11. The portable cooler of claim 7, in which theblender spindle is directly driven by the electric motor.
 12. Theportable cooler of claim 7, in which the insulation compartmentcomprises an insulation material.
 13. A portable cooler, comprising: abody defining a main interior storage space, the body having aninsulation compartment defined by an outer shell and an inner shell; alid having a first orientation structured to at least partially coverthe main interior storage space, and a second orientation structured tosubstantially expose the main interior storage space; an electric motorintegrated in the lid, the electric motor positioned interior to themain storage space when the lid is in the first orientation and exteriorto the main storage space when the lid is in the second orientation; andan attachment mechanism configured to hold a blender jar in a stationaryrelationship with the electric motor.
 14. The portable cooler of claim13, further comprising a blender spindle integrated in the lid.
 15. Theportable cooler of claim 14 in which the blender spindle rotates at amaximum RPM that is faster than approximately 5000 RPM.
 16. The portablecooler of claim 13, further comprising a transmission coupled betweenthe electric motor and the blender spindle.
 17. The portable cooler ofclaim 13, in which the blender spindle is directly driven by theelectric motor.
 18. The portable cooler of claim 13, in which theinsulation compartment comprises an insulation material.